Finding Your Specialty
Every year, the health care field grows more complex. This means there are more and more reasons to specialize in a particular area of nursing. Not only will this set you apart from the general nurses, but it can give you more job security, enhance your career satisfaction and possibly increase your salary potential. Here are some things to consider when choosing the specialty that’s perfect for you!
Your Interests
This is probably the first and most important thing to consider when choosing your specialty. Try to choose a specialty that compliments what you’re interested in. This will cause you to be more motivated and work at your optimum level. If you thrive in stressful situations, maybe an emergency or trauma center would be your cup of tea! Oppositely, if you are more detail oriented and enjoy less stressful situations, maybe a career in clinical research would be a better fit for you.
Location and Job Market
Ask yourself if you are up to relocating or not. If you are, then the world of specialized nursing is open to wherever the wind takes you! But, if you want to stay in your home state, you will have to choose a field that is in high demand where you currently live. Licensure requirements are something you should also research, as they differ from state to state.
Special Qualifications
Obviously, with specialized nursing comes specialized skills, training and certifications that go along with it. If you want to pursue a specialty that requires any of the above, you must expect to spend a great amount of time building your skills, continuing your education and studying for those exams. Certified nurses have worked very hard to get where they are, and usually their pay reflects that.
Level of Engagement
Are you a people person? Or are you a computer nerd? This is an important question to ask yourself because if you don’t enjoy communicating with people then you may want to steer clear of a job where you constantly see patients all day. The level of engagement with people that makes you feel the most comfortable is an important thing to take into consideration when looking for your career. There are many different options available for every kind of person.
No matter what kind of person you are, outgoing or reserved, finding your niche in specialty nursing can be a task! But, if you remember to consider all of the following, it will direct you to the position that will make you the most happy and successful.
